The Time For ELD is Now, December 18th Deadline Unlikely to Change

Commercial truckers have until December 18th to comply with new ELD requirements passed by Congress last year, to monitor HOS, or hours of service. The Supreme Court in June declined to hear a challenge to the law submitted by the OOIDA, the Owner-Operators Independent Drivers Association. The OOIDA isn’t throwing in the towel yet though, according to their press release from July 19th. However, with Congress on recess until September 5th, it’s unlikely there will be enough time for the controversial mandate to be changed. You can get the full details of the ELD situation from this in depth article posted at fleetowner.com.

ELD Parts Shortage and Transition Time

Fleet owners and independent operators are advised to err on the side of caution by purchasing ELD devices early, meaning now. Component shortages are expected later in the year. The high tech electronic components required by an ELD device are the same as those used for smartphones, and electronic component shortages can cause delays.

DOn’t assume that your trucks are covered if you already have AOBRD’s, or automatic onboard recording devices installed. It is possible that an AOBRD can be upgraded by the manufacturer to fulfill the technical specifications required for ELDs. You can check The FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) ELD page for Drivers and Carriers to make sure your devices are in compliance for the December 18deadline.